Peanut Butter Pie with no Regrets

Today has been a day for pies. Not just any pies though. Today was a day for Peanut Butter Pie.

Jennie over at In Jennie’s Kitchen lost her husband, Mikey, very suddenly due to a heart attack. She has not only lost her husband and love of her life, but the father of her 2 little girls. :'(

Comments have been pouring into her blog asking what people can do for her, because everyone who reads her story is just heartbroken over her loss, and we all wanted to reach out and help take some of the pain away, even if it’s only for a little bit.

Jennie’s response to everyone was simple.

Bake a Peanut Butter Pie in honor of Mikey.

It was his favorite pie.

So that’s what everyone did. Take a look at the number of pies that were made today in honor of Mikey!

From reading her post asking everyone to make a pie for Mikey, I realized something. Too often do we put important things off for “tomorrow” because it will get done “eventually”. Unfortunately for some of us, “tomorrow” never comes. I have so many regrets with my mom. There are recipes that will forever be lost because, unless by some miracle, I doubt I’ll ever come across them.

I also regret never being able to move out of the typical “mother/teenage daughter” relationship that we had, where we both basically got on each others’ nerves. I so desperately wanted the relationship that my sister’s had with her. Talking everyday on the phone, being friendly, etc. But it was hard for mom and I because we lived together.

I never got the chance to be an adult in my mom’s eyes.

So, now I ask you guys. Don’t make the same mistakes.

That dinner recipe your mom/dad/husband/wife/boyfriend/girlfriend absolutely loves? Don’t shove it off because your busy. Put in the extra effort and make it tonight.

Those cookies that your grandma/grandpa/niece/nephew adore? Go out of your way to make it for them. Maybe even let them help!

The cupcakes that your best friend loves you to make them when they’re having a bad day? Make them when they aren’t having a bad day.

Live your life to the fullest.

Live your life with no regrets.

Because you never know what tomorrow may bring.

I don’t personally know Jennie, and I’ve only just stumbled across her blog, but I feel a connection with her. She has such a way with words and reading her posts just sucks you in and before you know it, a few hours have passed (well, that is if you’re playing catch up on reading her blog that is!) and you didn’t even notice because you were having such a blast!

Jennie, if you ever get a chance to read this, know from one blogger to another, how deeply sorry I am for your loss. I can only partially understand what you’re going through right now, but I know it has to be just terrible.

I hope that this pie I made, in honor of Mikey, will help lift your spirits.

Method

Add the cookies to the bowl of a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs. Combine melted butter and cookie crumbs in a small bowl, and stir with a fork to mix well. Press mixture into the bottom and 1-inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave. Pour over bottom of cookie crust and spread to the edges using an off-set spatula. Sprinkle chopped peanuts over the melted chocolate. Place pan in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.

Pour the heavy cream into a bowl and beat using a stand mixer or hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a small bowl and store in refrigerator until ready to use. Place the cream cheese and peanut butter in a deep bowl. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in the confectioner’s sugar. Add the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract and lemon juice. Increase speed to medium and beat until all the ingredients are combined and filling is smooth.

Stir in 1/3 of the whipped cream into the filling mixture (helps lighten the batter, making it easier to fold in the remaining whipped cream). Fold in the remaining whipped cream. Pour the filling into the prepared springform pan. Drizzle the melted chocolate on top, if using, and refrigerate for three hours or overnight before serving.

Photo Walkthrough:

Here is everything you’ll need for this recipe.

Add the cookies to the bowl of a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs.

Combine melted butter and cookie crumbs in a small bowl, and stir with a fork to mix well.

Press mixture into the bottom and 1-inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave. Pour over bottom of cookie crust and spread to the edges using an off-set spatula.

Sprinkle chopped peanuts over the melted chocolate. Place pan in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.

Pour the heavy cream into a bowl and beat using a stand mixer or hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a small bowl and store in refrigerator until ready to use.

Place the cream cheese and peanut butter in a deep bowl. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.

Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in the confectioner’s sugar.

Add the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract and lemon juice. Increase speed to medium and beat until all the ingredients are combined and filling is smooth.

Stir in 1/3 of the whipped cream into the filling mixture (helps lighten the batter, making it easier to fold in the remaining whipped cream). Fold in the remaining whipped cream.

Pour the filling into the prepared springform pan. Drizzle the melted chocolate on top, if using, and refrigerate for three hours or overnight before serving.

It’s amazing how the food blog community came together to do this in honor of Mikey. Your pie looks delicious. The only thing is that I would suggest using a smaller tip/hole for the piping bag, so that the chocolate drizzle would be prettier. :D But I love your photo walkthroughs. They’re the best part of your posts!

It really was amazing how everyone came together to do this for Jennie and Mikey. I couldn’t believe how many pies had been made!

As far as the chocolate goes, I was in the middle of babysitting my 2 nephews so my sister and her hubby could see a concert up in LA that they didn’t get to go because our mom had passed away the morning of the concert :( So all I did was shove the melted chocolate in a ziploc bag and cut the end off lol

I just wanted to get chocolate on top and put it in the fridge so everyone could have a slice before bedtime :P

I’m so glad you love the photo walkthrough :) I know it makes my posts longer, but I know when I’m making a recipe for the first time I wish I had pictures to look at of how the recipe is supposed to look as I’m going through it. So I figured I wasn’t the only one who felt that way hehe